The Surrogate Gardener

With body bent,
she shuffled slowly
to the shed,
leaving the door ajar

for light in her search.
He had been the gardener
until the Lord called him Home -
now it was up to her.

Not knowing where to look,
her search seemed futile -
but, in the corner of her eye,
she spotted

the old rusted tools -
his only tools for gardening;
a three-pronged fork
and an iron-shaped tool -

both with handles.
Guessed he had used
them to plant the garden -
she'd taken no-never-mind

to them before -
didn't think she'd
ever be the gardener,
but now guessed that

was what she got for thinking.

She knew not to disturb the rust -
he'd always told her,
"the more rust, the better!"

So with tools in hand
and tears in her heart,
she set out to plant the garden
with him in mind.

I am a 66-year young Christian writer whose desire is to make a positive difference in people's lives through my writing. My purpose is to show people the love of Jesus Christ. I have four wonderful children (two natural/two step) and seven beautiful grandchildren.